Cerebral Rewriting
"Ideas are are inherently fleeting and fragile." - Lord Ryder Cerebral Rewriting is a process through which an individuals thoughts, feelings, memories, interests, and personality can be altered and changed without the knowledge of the person being rewritten. The technique was designed by Lord Ryder to make interrogating prisoners a simple process and was heavily employed during the Siege of Canterlot to undue the Stonehoof Tribe's brainwashing. The technique is frequently employed to remove a variety of mental conditions that the Val'kyr deem detrimental to effective life, including anxiety, post traumatic stress, and a variety of paraphilias. Despite referring to the cerebrum, Cerebral Rewriting affects the entire brain. Process Rewriting an individual's brain requires microscopic precision, lest the subject be rendered braindead as a result. First, the brain tissue containing the thoughts being altered is incinerated. Fel Fire is preferred as it does not leave lasting burns when controlled, but regular pyrokinesis can function just as well. After incineration, new tissue is grown rapidly by altering time within the individual's brain and using telekinesis to guide the tissue to grow in a way that forms new memories. Expertise with the brain patterns of the species in question is necessary to rewrite an individual. Application The first use of Cerebral Rewriting was when Lord Ryder rewrote a prisoner's memories so she would believe that he was her spouse, and thus divulge necessary information out of trust. Later, during the Siege of Canterlot, rewriting was used to reverse the effects of the brainwashing that the Stonehoof Tribe had inflicted on the Equestrian population. Val'kyr were under strict orders to rewrite all captive refugees whether they were willing or not. Lord Ryder taught Princess Luna and Princess Twilight the technique, who proceeded to teach it to all Equestrians capable of magic. Effectiveness Cerebral Rewriting can be used to completely alter brain chemistry. As such, there is very little that can resist it's effects. Personality, disposition, fears, sexuality, values, belief systems, memories, mental illnesses, mental atypicalities, gender identity, and mental defects can all be altered, implanted, or removed through the method. It gives somebody skilled in the technique complete and total control over a mortal's brain to shape to their whims. There are many things the Val'kyr simply will not rewrite (such as sexuality, gender identity, or mental atypicalities) as they have no practical reason to do so. Ethical Implications In many mortal cultures, subverting free will and an individual's thought processes is considered a crime against nature and a sign of evil or tyranny. The Val'kyr, being effectively amoral, treat such beliefs with total disregard. In a meta-example, it was often questioned as to whether or not the Val'kyr were capable of rewriting aspects of a person such as their sexual orientation or gender identity. It was established that, yes, the Val'kyr were capable of doing such a thing (often through Ryder flat out admitting to someone that he could do it) and that they merely refused to at any given opportunity due to there being no use in wasting the time and energy, and would often exert this power on the person making the request instead. One noteworthy example is a human woman asking Lord Ryder to rewrite her gay son to be straight. Ryder refused, and then rewrote the woman to no longer be concerned about her son's orientation, deciding that this would be a much more effective change. Category:Techniques